Cough drop



Feb. 23, 1943. A. J. LAUTMANN COUGH DROP Filed June 8, 1939 9Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 23, 1943' A. J. LAUTMANN couen DROP Filed June 8,1939 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 23, 1943. A. J. LAUTMANN COUGH DROP FiledJune 8, 1939 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 23, 1943. A. J. LAUTMANN COUGH DROPFiled June 8, 1939 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Feb. 23, 1943.

A. J. LAUTMANN coueu DROP Tiled June 8, 1939 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 fifred J1all/77242172 Feb. 23, 1943.

A. J. LAUTMANN 2,311,923

COUGH DROP Filed June 8, 1939 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 9 Sheets-Sheet '7 A. J.LAUTMANN COUGH DROP Filed June 8, 1939 Feb. 23, 1943.

Feb. 23, 1943. A. J. LAUTMANN COUGH DROP Filed June 8, 1939 9Sheets-Sneak 53 Feb. 23, L A N 2,311,923

COUGH DROP Filed June 8, 1959 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 jl/reaC/[azzfmarzrz uffiorneys Patented Feb. 23,

COUGH DROP Alfred J. Lantmann, Detroit, Mich, assignor to IodentChemical Company, Detroit, Mich, a

corporation of Michigan Application June 8, 1939, Serial No. 278,040

6 Claims.

This invention relates to cough drops and the like and to themanufacture thereof, including machines wherein such articles may beproduced, and the salient object is to produce an article, such as acough drop or the like, embodying an edible shell enclosing a liquid orsomewhat viscous center and which may be handled and stored in themanner customary for such articles without likelihood of damage theretoor deterioration thereof due to the liquid or other center or for otherkindred reasons.

It is also among the objects of the present invention to provide a coughdrop or the like which, when dissolved in the mouth, will insuredispersion of medicaments on the tissues of the mouth and throat and theretention of such medicaments in contact with the tissues of the mouthand throat for a longer period of time than has beenpossible heretoforeby the use of conventional cough drops and the like.

Another object is to provide a cough-drop embodying an edible hard candyshell and a medicated liquid center and which, until use thereof, willretain its medicated liquid center without deterioration, and which isso composed that the edible hard candy shell is permanently imperviousand resistant to any solvent action of the liquid center, that is tosay, the edible, hard candy shell is insoluble in the liquid centerenclosed thereby.

Still another object is to provide a cough drop having a hard, ediblecandy shell and a medicated liquid center and in which the compositionof the medicated edible shell or casing differs from the composition ofthe medicated liquid center so. as to be unaffected by and impervious tothe solvent action of the latter.

An additional object of the invention is to afford a vegetable oil thatis substantially odorless and tasteless and that is in 'no way harmful,physiologically or otherwise, to the body when the oil is consumed andwhich is otherwise free of objectionable properties such as mineral oilsmight possess, and an ancillary object is to enclose such an oil in ashell that is impervious thereto, which is to say, insolubletherein,whereby when the shell and/or the oil carry medicaments suitable for thepurpose, a pleasing and effective cough drop or the like is afforded.

A further object is to provide a vegetable oil which is substantiallytasteless and odorless and devoid of any oily taste, that is to say, itimparts substantially no oily sensation or feeling in the mouth orthroat when introduced therein, and a related object is to so treat'avegetable oil that the oiliness thereof will be eliminated or at leastso substantially reduced as to render it inoffensive when tasted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a composition adapted foruse not only as a vehicle for medicaments in liquid center cough dropsbut the mouth and throat for a longer period of time than wouldordinarily be possible; to incorporate such medicaments that when theaforesaid shell breaks, in the course of the dissolving thereof in themouth, the resulting release of the liquid center will discharge whatis, in eflect, a cough medicine or syrup which, especially whenmedicaments such as are usually employed in conventional cough drops areincluded in the shell, will effectively assist in the relief of a cough.

A still further object of the invention is to produce articles, such ascough drops and the like, in a novel and eflicient manner.

Yet other objects of the'invention are to enable the use of conventionalmachines commonly employed in the manufacture of candy to be employed inthe manufacture of the novel articles of the present invention; tofacilitate the in-' troduction of a liquid or viscous center in a candyor like material shell; to so initially form the shell that the centermay be introduced thereinto and to thereafter close the shell and theneffectively encase the liquid or other center; to provide a machine towhich the material from which the shell is to be produced may be passedin ribbon or rope form; to reduce the material thus fed to the machineto a ribbon of predetermined dimensions, free of fins and the like; toform a trough from such ribbon of material and to unite the sides of'thetrough at'predetermined intervals without closing the open side of thetrough between such unions therein; to employ relatively movable membersfor uniting the sides of the trough at such intervals and, morespecifically, to employ relatively and continuously rotatable membersfor such function; to form cooperating portions on such members to bringabout the aforesaid uniting of the sides of the trough and which willnot substantially alter the position of the portions of the troughbetween the points of union of the sides thereof wherebyopenings areafforded at regular intervals through which a liquid or viscoussubstance may be introduced into the trough into which the material ofthe shell is formed; to perform the ribbon and trough forming operationand the uniting of the sides of the trough in a continuous manner; toeffect a filling operation, as by introducin a liquid or viscoussubstance intn the aforesaid openings in passed through the the troughinto which the material of the shell is formed, without interrupting thecontinuous advance of the material; to introduce a predeterminedquantity of the aforesaid substance through each of the aforesaidopenings and to enable such quantity to be varied as desied; and tointroduce a quantity of the substance less than that required to fillthe area into which it the area is closed off, a bubble will beproduced, an object ancillary to the lucent so that the aforesaid bubblemay be observed therethrough.

Still further objects are to effectively close the aforesaid openingsbetween the unions of the sides of the trough to thereby effectivelyseal the substance within the u of the openings without interruptingcontinuous advance of the material'of the shell; to discharge thematerial, after the closure of the aforesaid openings, onto meansoperative to efiect separation of the material at the aforesaid placeswhere the sides of the aforesaid trough are united to thereby afford theseparate articles; and to thereafter tumble or otherwise handle thearticles to free them of fins or the like.

More specific objects are to provide a novel miachine wherein theaforesaid operations of forming, uniting, filling and closing operationsmay be carried out in a continuous, automatic and expeditious manner; toso time various operative parts in the machine that the aforesaidoperations will be so performed that the material for the shell of thearticles will pass through the machine without being unduly, stretchedor crowded; to enable variation in the speed of operation of variousoperative parts and thereby insure attainment of the just referred todesirable ends; to enable relatively plastic material to be handled inthe machine; and to cool or chill the material, when heated and warmmaterial is machine, immediately upon discharge thereof from themachine.

Other and further objects of the present inven-. tion will be apparentfrom the following description and claims and are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings which, by way of illustration,

show a preferred embodiment and the principle thereof and what I nowconsider to "be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying thatprinciple. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same orequivalent principle may be used and. structural changes may be made aswithout dedesired by those skilled inthe art parting from the presentinvention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figs. 1 and 1A, when Fig. 1A is joined with Fig.

l at the right-hand end thereof, constitute a side elevation of theentire apparatus in which articles, such as cough drops, to which, amongother things, this invention pertains may be produced;

Fig. 1B is a sectional view taken substantially onthe line IB-IB onFig.1;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine wherein the aforesaid forming,uniting, filling and closing operations are carried out;

Fig. 8 is a top planviewof the machine illustrated in Fig. 2;

Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical transverse sectional views takensubstantially and respectively on the lines 4-4 and 5-5 onFig.2;.

is introduced whereby, when shell; to effect such closing Fig. 6 is asectional detail view taken substantially on the line 5-6 on Fig. 3;

Fig. 'I is a sectional detail view taken substantially on the line 1-4on Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a -perspective detail view of a portion of the filling head;

Fig. 9 is a plan view, drawn to an enlarged scale, of the devices whicheffect the aforesaid forming, uniting, filling and closing operations;

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the lineIll-Ill on Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a vertical transverse sectionaldetailview taken substantiallyon the line I l-| l on Fig.

Figs. 12 and 13 are sectional detail views taken substantially andrespectively on'the lines l2-l2 and l3-l3onFig. 10;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary view, similar to Fig. 9, showing the materialpassing through the parts of the apparatus illustrated therein;

Fig. 15 is a side elevation of thematerial from which the outer shell ofthe articles is formed illustrating the same in the condition in whichit passes from the parts which effect the closing operation;

Fig. 16 is a plan view of'the material as illustrated in Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a transverse sectional detail view taken substantially on thelines ll-I'I on Fig. 15; and

Fig. 18 is a perspective view of a typical article;

such as a cough'drop, that may be produced in the apparatus shown in thehereinabove described drawings.

Before describing the apparatus illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, a typical article such as may be produced in such apparatus isfirst described with reference to Figs. 17 and 18 wherein a cough drop,generally indicated by 20, such as may be produced in the apparatusillustrated in the accompanying drawings is shown. This cough drop, inits illustrated form, comprises an edible hard candy shell 2|, which mayor may not be medicated as desired, and in the present instance amedicated liquid center 22. The edible hard candy shell may be made fromany suitable hard candy recipe or formula such as has been used in themaking of cough drops and confections, and such recipe or formula mayhave as the base thereof a mixture of sucrose, corn syrup and water,cooked according to known methods, or may be a syrup prepared bydissolving invert sugar, sucrose and water. Typical recipes or formulaesuitable for the purpose are as follows:

Example No. 1: Pounds Sucrose 260 Invert sugar 53 Water 83 Example No.2: Pounds Sucrose 210 Corn syrup Water 70 Especially where a coughdropis to be produced, it is desirable to medicate the candy shell andthis may be done by the use of medicaments commonly employed for. thispurpose. Among the medicaments' which maybe used in this way are thefollowing, any one or more or all of which may be employed, it beingunderstood that the following are merely exemplary of the medica- -mentsthat may be used and that the list is by no means exhaustive, themedicaments to which reference is thus made being Menthol, Extract ofLicorice, Extract Cocillana, Extract Senega, Extract Yerba Santa,Extract Euphorbia, Extract Lactucarium, Chlorthymol. Thymol, andEucalyptol. These medicaments or their equivalents or kindredmedicaments or one or more or all of such medicaments may berespectively used in quantities common in the art' but, by way ofexample, if the shell is to be made according to the'recipe of ExampleNo. 1, supra, then the following medicaments in the followingproportions may be employed with satisfactory results:

Example No. 3: a Grains Extract Euphorbia 10000 Extract Lactucarium 6000In a cough drp,'if the liquid center 22 were merely a vegetable 011,this alone would be advantageous for such 'oil would have a soothing[deterioration of the articles will be avoided.

effect upon the tissues of the mouth and throat and would alsofacilitate the dispersion of the medicaments included in the candy shellover such tissues, when the candy shell dissolves in the mouth to such astate that it breaks and permits dispersion of the liquid center.However, much more efficacious results may be realized by so compoundingthe liquid center of the cough drop that it constitutes a coughmedicine,- that is, so that it will be a liquid of medicinal action,which will alleviate irritation in the mouth and throat. It will berecognized that if the liquid center has theseproperties it will not beessential to include medicaments in the hard candy shell but so to do isquite advantageous, and the preferred embodiment of my inventioncontemplates that medicaments will be included in both the shell 2| andthe liquid center 22 of the coughdrop 20.

A suitable oil for use as the liquid center 22 and which will serve as acarrier for one or more medicamentswhich may be dissolved therein orotherwise; carried thereby is Sesame oil, and

preferably imported Sesame oil, to which may be added cocoanut oil,cocoanut oil olein or C0- coanut stearine, and a mixture of Sesame oilwith two or more of these other substances may also be employed. Thevegetable oil that is thus afi'orded is admirably suited for use as theliquid center of the articles contemplated by the presentinvention'inasmuch as it is substantially tasteless and odorless anddoes not produce a marked oily sensation when the shell 2| dissolves inthe mouth thus permitting discharge of the liquid center onto thetissues of the mouth and throat. Furthermore, an oil of the character towhich reference has just been made is quite advantageous in the presentinvention for the additional.

reason that a hard candy shell, such as has been described hereinabove,is permanently impervious and resistant to any solvent actionof such aliquid center, which is to say, a candy shell of this nature isinsoluble in a liquid center of this type. Therefore, articles of thekind to which this invention pertains may -be handled and stored in themanner customary for such articles, which may mean that. the articleswill be stored for relatively protracted periods before the use It hasbeen found, in this connection, that the addition of about ten percent(10%) by volume cocoanut oil stearine or about fifty percent (50%) byvolume of cocoanut oil olein to Sesame oil or to other of the vegetableoils, as corn, peanut or cottonseed, substantially reduces the'oilychar- I of the oil and particularly acter or oiliness Sesame oil, aswell as of the vegetable oil mixture thus formed, and provides anexcellent base or carrier for the liquid center 22 of the new cough dropand one which is substantially free from any olly" taste or sensationwhen the liquid center 22 of the new cough drop is discharged onto thetissues of the mouth and throat.

It has also been found that cocoanut oil, per se, has a similareil'ectin reducing the oily" character of vegetable oils, although to a lessdegree than cocoanut oil stearine, which is the most eflicient substancethus far found for this .purpose. Further, cocoanut oil olein is somewhat less eflicient and less desirable for the purpose but may be used.

The exact explanation of the phenomenon of reduction in the oiliness ofvegetable oils, referred to above, is not known, nor is the phenomenonentirely understood. However, it is believed to be caused by, or to be afunction of, the reduction in the surface tension and viscosity of theoil which are known to be caused by the addition of the modifying agentor mixture of agents thereto. i

As a further explanation of the foregoing attention is directed to thefollowing table:

Now if ten percent (10%) of cocoanut oil stearine is added to therefined Sesame oil, the surface tension at 27.5 C. is reduced from 37.4to 37.4 dynes, and if fifty percent (50%) cocoanut oil olein is added tosuch Sesame oil, the surface tension at 275 C. is reduced to 36.3 dynes,and if fifty percent (50%) cocoanut oil olein is likewise added torefined Sesame oil, the viscosity of the Sesame is reduced from 33.9centipoises to 30.5 centipoises. Whenever such reductions are eflectedthere is an attendant drop in oil.i ness.

From the foregoing, and while it is not definitely known, it may bededuced that there is a relationship between surface tension andviscosity and "oiliness of a vegetable oil. Sesame oil of itself seemsto possess less "0ily sensation than other vegetable oils but this maybe due to lack of taste. Corn oil, on the other hand, seems to have adefinite oily sensation but this may be due to the presence of apronounced taste. However, by reference to the surface tension andviscosity of these oils, a great difference in oiliness should not beexpected. But when cocoanut oil olefin or stearine, or cocoanut oilitself, is added to such oils than: is a marina! at... a-

substances which are unlike and mutually were! 22 of thecough drop 20and embodying an oil such as that just described are represented by thefollowing examples,

in which all parts indicated are by weight:

Example No. 5: (Liquid center) Parts Vegetable oil base (Sesame oil)90.0 Cocoanut oil stearine 10.0 Medicaments (a) Menthol 0.45 (b) Thymol0.075 (c) Emetine 0.025

Example No. 6: (Liquid center) Vegetable oil base (Sesame oil) 70.0Cocoanut oil olein 30.0

Medicaments (a) Menthol 0.60 (b) Thymol 0.10 (c) Oil of turpentine 1.25Example No.7: I

Vegetable oil base (Sesame oil) 80.0 Cocoanut oil"--. 20.0 Medicaments(a) Menthol 0.38 (b) 'I'hymol 0.06 (c) Terebene 1.25

It is to be understood'from the foregoing that in the preferredembodiments of my invention the shell' 2i and the center 22 will be madeof which are insoluble one in the other for when this condition prevailsit is not necessary to line the shell or to take steps to preventdissolving of the shell in the center or absorption of the shell in thecenter.

It is to be understood that whole Sesame oil is preferred as the basefor the liquid center 22, other vegetable oils, or mixtures of vegetableoils, may be used although probably with less satisfactory results, andamong such oils are corn oil, cottonseed oil and peanut oil which alsomaybe used with one or more of the following, namely, cocoanut oil,cocoanut oil olein or cocoanut oil stearine.

The medicaments indicated in the foregoing formulae are typical of thosewhich may be employed, and it will be understood that a wide variety ofmedicaments may be employed for the purpose, the underlying utilitybeing to afford, as explained above, a cough preparation. Inasmuch asthis invention is not primarily directed to the particular .medicamentswhich are employed and primarily since a wide variety be used withinthe'of other medicaments may purview of my invention, it is believed thatthe foregoing examples are sufllcient for the purpose of thisdisclosure, and inasmuch as the functions and properties of suchmedicaments .are well understood,

further description thereof is not included herein.

While liquid center cough drops and similar articles to which thepresent invention pertains may vbe produced in a wide variety of ways, Ihave found that the apparatus illustrated in the ying drawings isparticularly suitable the medicaments and secured to this shaft anattendant Y for the purpose inasmuch asit enables attainment of thehereinabove set forth objects of the present invention and materiallyexpedites the production of such articles in a relativelyinexpensive'manner.

In the main the apparatus employed in the manufacture of such articlesincludes a cooker. a cooling table, a mixing apparatus is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings since it is. conventional and wellknown) abatch roller or plasticizer M, Fig. 1A, the machine illustrated indetail in Figs. 2 to 14, inclusive, and which is generally indicated atA in Fig 1A. and theconveyor apparatus, generally indicated by C, Fig.1, each of which devices will now be explained in detail. Theplasticizer or mixer M may be any. of various such devices thatareemployed in the confectionary art and that illustrated herein is ofthe type commercially roller and comprises a compartment 25 in whichsuitable agitating means (not shown) are provided that are driven fromthe motor 26 mounted on the frame 21 of the mixer M. The ingredi entsfrom which the shells 2| are to be produced are preferably cookedtogether in a vac-- uum cooker, in the manner well understood in theart. This material is then poured onto a cooling .table and themedicaments (if such are to be used) are introduced into the partiallycooled mass for so to of the medicaments. After the medicaments are wellfolded into the semi-plastic mass, the entire batch is introduced into abatch roller or plasticizer, such as M, which serves to agitate the massslowly under heat to further mix in to keep the mass in a workable statefor the operator or spinner to draw out or spin on the table '1 a ropeof such a size that a ribbon R, FM. 14, of predete ed width andthickness will be produced as this rope of material passes through thesizing rollers 28 and 23, Fig. 2, of the machine A, the ribbon R beingdeposited on a feed trough 30 which leads to the bite and 29, as bestshown in Figs. 1A, 2, 3 and 10, the trough 30 being supported bysuitable brackets as 3| from the bed 13 of the machine'A, which bed, asbest shown in Fig. 1A, is supported by legs 32 or the like from thefloor or other sup' zolrt on which the frame 21 of the mixer M is rest Abearing bracket 33, Fig. 2, is mounted on the bed B and extends upwardlytherefrom and has a split bearing 34 and a closed bearing 35, Fig. 4,formed therein in vertical alignment. A flanged bearing bushing 36 ispassed through the split bearing 33 and is clamped therein with theflange 31 at one end thereof engaging one side of the bearing bracket 33by bolts passed through the ears 33' of the split bearing 34. A shaft 33is journaled in the bearing bushing 36 and the roller 23 is keyed orotherwise suitably v with one face of the hub thereof engaged with theflange 31 and with the other face of the hub. engaged with the flange toof the bearing bushing 4| clamped in the split bearing 4} of theoutboard bearing structure 42. 7

As best shown inFlgs. 2 and 4, the bearin bores in the bearing bushings36 and II are preferably eccentric to the peripheries of such bearingbushings wherefore when the split bearings 34 and 43 are loosened thebearing bushings 36 and 4| may be rotated in the openings in which, theyare mounted and thereby the vertical posislab (none of which known as aYork batch do prevents decomposition between the rollers 23 tion of theroller 28 may be varied, the utility of this arrangement being explainedpresently.

A bearing bushing 44 is mounted in the closed bearing in the bearingbracket 33 and a shaft 45 is journaled therein, this shaft also beingjournaled in a bearing bushing 46 in the outboard bearing structure 42.The roller 29 is keyed or otherwise suitably secured to the shaft 45intermediate the flange 41 provided on the bearing bushing 44 and theadjacent end of the bearing bushing 46, the shaft 45 being held againstlongitudinal movement in one direction in the bearing bushings 44 and 46by a washer 49 secured to the outer end of such shaft, this washerengaging the flange 48 on the adjacent end of the bearing bushing 46.The shaft 45 is held against longitudinal movement in the otherdirection by reason of the engagement of the hub 50 of the worm wheelwith a collar 58 that engages the adjacent wall of the gear box G, theworm wheel 5| being pinned to the shaft 45.

Another worm wheel 52 is keyed or otherwise suitably secured to theshaft 39 and meshes with a worm gear 52' fastto a shaft 53 journaled insuitable bearings in the gear box G. The worm wheel 5| meshes with aworm gear, 5| that is also fast to the shaft 53. The shaft 53 has a wormwheel 54 keyed or otherwise secured thereto, and this worm wheel mesheswith a worm gear 59 fast on the shaft 88 that is journaled in a bearingin the gear box G and in a bearing in the bearing block 33. A pulley 63is fast on the shaft 80 outwardly of the gear box G and a belt 64 ispassed thereabout and about a pulley 65, Fig. 3, fast on the powertake-off shaft of a variable speed reducer 66, Figs. 1A and 3, that ismounted on the floor or other support on which the machine A and mixer Mare rested. A motor is directly connected to the power input shaft ofthe speed reducer 66, which may be of conventional form. Thus when themotor 70 is set in operation, power is transmitted therefrom and throughthe speed reducer 66 to the shaft 68 and thence through worm gear 59 andworm wheel 54 to shaft 53 and thence through worm gears 5| and 52' toworm wheels 5| and 52, wherefore the shafts 39 and 45 are set inoperation. The ratios between worm gears 5| and 52' and the worm wheels5| and 52 with which they respectively mesh is one-to-one wherefore theshafts 39 and 45 rotate synchronously as do the rollers 28 and 29 fastthereon.

By referring to Fig. 4, it will be seen that a pair of ribs II and 12are provided on the periphery of the roller 28 and that these ribs rideon the periphery of the roller 29 at the edges of a groove 13 formed inthe periphery of the roller 29 midway between the edges thereof, wherebyan opening 14 of predetermined length and thickness is defined at thebite between the rollers 28 and 29. The dimensions of this opening 14are those desired of the ribbon R, Fig. 14. It is quite desirable thatthe ribbon R, when it passes from the bite between the rollers 28 and29, be free of fins and the like and to this end a bracket K, Figs. 3,9, and 10, is fast to the bearing bracket 33 to project therefrom, and aplate is secured thereto. -Blocks' l6 and 11 are secured to the plate 15and are extended toward the bite between the rollers 28and 29', eachblockhaving a,

formedsurfaceas 18 thereon, Fig. 10, which fits against the rib'a s H onthe roller 28, these curved.

. H which guide it to the opening it.

between the rollers 28 and29 as does the inner end of the trough 30which leads into the groove 13 in the roller 29. Thus as the materialwhich is to be formed into the ribbon R is fed into the trough 38 andtoward the bite between the rollers 28 and 29, it passes between theblocks 18 and In order to insure that the material from the mixer Mpassing along the trough 38 is fed into the bite between the rollers 28and 29, these rollers are preferably knurled, as indicated at 19 and 88,and these knurls preferably extend transversely, the knurls 79 extendingtransversely between the ribs 7| and 72 and the knurls 88 being formedin the bottom of the groove 13, the knurls 80 preferably being deeperthan the knurls 19 so as to thereby tend to drag the ribbon R down ontothe receiving platform 8| which extends into and rides against thebottom of the groove 13 on the discharge side of the opening 14.

- Thus after the material from the mixer M has platform 8| into theforming trough 82.

passed through the opening 14, it is discharged onto the platform 8| inthe form of the ribbon R which, as stated, is of predetermineddimensions and. by reason of the feeding effect imparted to this ribbonR by the rotation of the rollers 28 and 29 the ribbon thus formed passesover the platform 8| to the forming trough 82.

The platform 85 is carried by a bracket 83, Figs. 2 and 3, secured tothe bearing bracket 33 and, as best shown in Figs. 9 and 10, thedischarge end of platform 8| is recessed in its upper edge as indicatedat 84 to receive the adjacent end of the forming trough 82 so that theribbon R will freely slide over the upper surface of the The formingtrough 82, as best shown in Figs. 3, 9, 10, 12, 13 and 14, has the sideedges thereof, inwardly from the receiving end thereof, gradually flaredinwardly so that as the ribbon R passes therethrough the side edgesthereof are folded posed upwardly. The forming trough 82 includes and9lpass through the arms 90 and 9| gage the underside of the block 9.4 onopposite.

surfaces". term inating just' short of the bite a discharge tongue 85which, as best shown in Fig. 10, leads downwardly to be in substantialalignment with the lower edges of forming rollers 88 and 87, to bedescribed more fully hereinafter. In order to insure such alignment ofthe discharge end of the discharge tongue 85, the forming trough 82 isadjustably supported in position in the following manner. As best shownin Figs. 2, 3, 9, 10 and 13, a post 88 extends upwardly from a socket88' on the bed B. The lower end of the post 88 is adjustably secured inthe socket 88' and these parts are arranged in alignment with thedischarge trough 82. The post 88 carries a. block 89 at the upper endthereof. The block 89 has arms 99 and 9| projecting outwardly from thatportion thereof aligned with the trough 82, and other arms 92 and 93extend up.- wardly from the block 89 in alignment with the post 88. Ablock 941s medially mounted on a pin 95carried by the arms 92 and 93 andscrews 96 and en-,

sides of the pin 95.... It will therefore beseen that by adjusting. therelative positions .of the,screw.s

96 and 9'! and the socket 88, the positioning 82, which rests on theblock'94, mayl be so as to properly, dispose the discharg 85 relative tothe forming rollers'86'and positioning of the post 88 in the. I of the finin'gtrQugh. adjusted. tensi e vals, generally indicated by thereon areadapted to cooperate one with the other to. thereby squeeze sides of thenow substantiallyjrough-like r'bbon R together at inter- U in the ribbonR, and as the sides of the ribbon R are so squeezed together parts ofthe ribbon R of a length substantially equal to the cough drop 20 in thepresent instance lie in a pocket P at the bite between the rollers 86and 81 afforded by cooperating pockets I and IOI in the rollers 86 and81,.respectively. The part of the ribbon R which thus lies in the pocketP and which is to eventually constitute, in the present instance, acough drop 20, is for the purpose of this description generallyindicated by I02, and such part I02 is substantiallyU-shaped incross-section midway in the longitudinal extent thereof, being open atthe top andclosed at each end by unions U and being closed at the bottomby reason of the substantially U-shaped or trough-like shape of theribbon R. v

In order that the ribbon R will be united at the points U, as justdescribed, without impairing the advance thereof through the machine andparticularly without unduly stretching or crowding the ribbon, itisessential that the rollers 86 and 81 operate synchronously with therollers 28 and 29 and the rollers 86 and 81 are so mounted and operated,as will now be described.

As best shown in Figs; 2 and 3, a housing H is mounted on the bed 13 andhas bearings, generally indicated by I03 and I04,'Fig, 5, in oppositesides thereof in which a shaft I06 is journaled, this shaft also beingjournaled in the outboard bearing I01, Fig. 5, at the outer end of asleeve I08 that projects from the side of the housing H at which thebearing I03 is provided.

1 A variable speed pu1ley'I09, Fig. 3, preferably of conventional designand including opposed conical surfaces between which the sides of a V-shaped belt H0 or the like may be disposed, is fast on the shaft I06 andthe belt H0 is also passed about a fixed conical pulley III fast on theshaft 60. It'will be recalled that the rollers 28 and 29 receive motionfrom the shaft 60 and hence by reason of the variable speed arrangementafforded bythe pulley I09 and the belt H0 and by reason of the mountingof the pulley III on the shaft 60, it will be apparent that, by properlyadjusting the pulley I09, the shaft I06 may be operated in definitetimed relation with the shaft 60 and therefore the rollers 28 and 28.

The rollers 86 and 81 are adjustable relative to each other and to thisend the rollers 86 and 81 are adjustably secured to plates H2 and H8,

the rollers 86 and 81 being shoulderedas indicated at III, Fig. 5, sothat a portion of each of these rollers overlies the cooperating plate 1I2 or II8. A slot, as II5, Fig. 3, is provided in the part of eachroller 86 or 81 that overlies the cooperating plate and a bolt or othersuitable securing means I I6 is passed through such slot and is fast-inthe underlying portion of the ,plate H2 or II8. Thus, each roller 86 and81 is movable on the platp H2 or II8 on which it is mounted, and thisenables the rollers 86 and 81 to be accurately adjusted so as to insureaccurate cocated by F,

operation of the ribs or to produce the unions U.

By referring to Fig. 5, it will be seen that bearing sleeves H1 and I I8are mounted on the upper side of the housing H and that bushings H9 andI20 are respectively provided therein to afford journals for the shaftsI2I and I22, The plate H2 is pinned or otherwise suitablysecured to theshaft I2I, and the hub of this plate rides on the top vof a flangeprovided on a bushing H9. The plate H3 is pinned or otherwise suitablysecured to the shaft I22 and the hub of this plate rideson a flangeprovided on the bushing I20. The shafts I2I and I22 are so spaced onefrom the other that proper cooperation of the ribs or teeth 98 and 99 onthe rollers 86 and 81 to produce the unions U thereof is assured, thisspacing of the shafts I2I and I22 being such that when ribs 98 and 99are in cooperating relation at the point X, Fig, 14, a union U will beproduced in the ribbon R. The bearing sleeve H8 is preferably split andthe bushing I20 mounted therein has the periphery thereof eccentric tothe bearing bore therein. This enables adjustment of the shaft I22relative to the shaft I2I which enables the aforesaid relation betweenthe shafts I2! and I22 to be established and maintained.

A worm wheel I23 is fast at of the shaft I2I and meshes with a worm gearI24 fast on the shaft I06. A worm wheel I25 is fast at the lower end ofthe shaft I22 and meshes with a worm gear I26 also fast on the shaftI06.

teeth 98 or 99 thereon The worm gear I24 has a right-hand lead while theworm gear I26 has a left-hand lead and this causes the shafts I2I andI22 to be rotated'in opposite directions as will also the rollers-86 and81. It will be recalled that the shaft I06 is arranged to insuresynchronic operation thereof with the rollers 28 and 29 and, therefore,since the ratios between the worm gear I24 and the worm wheel I23 andbetween the worm gear I26 and the worm whel I25 are one-to-one, it ismanifest that synchronic operation of the rollers 86-and 81 with eachother and with the rollers 28 and 29 is assured.

As soon as each part as I02 of the ribbon R. has been formed and whileand during the time it is passing through the pocket P at thebite-between the rollers 86 and 81, the liquid center 22 hereinabovereferred to is introduced thereinto, it being understood that therollers 28 and 29 and 86 and 81 rotate continuously during the operationof the machine. In order to bring about such introduction of the liquidor other viscous substance into the parts I02 of the ribbon R at suchtime, the filling head, generally indiis provided, The filling head- Fincludes a collar I21, Fig. 5, that is disposed about a post I29 whichhas the lower end thereof secured in a boss I29 on the top of thehousing H,

a set screw I80, Fig. 8, or other suitable means, being provided forclamping the collar I21 in adjusted vertical positions on the post I28,

An arm I8I, Fig. 3, projects from the collar I21 tending from one facethereof to overlie the pcthe lower end plate I 31, and the flange I4Iter as 22 that it as 20 is introduced into the parts I02 during suchI34, the flange I38 being located inwardly of the periphery of the plateI31. A centrally located sleeve I39 extends from the face of the plateI31 opposite that from which the flange I38'projects, and the sleeve I36on the plate I34 is adapted to be received within the sleeve I39. Thesleeve I39 in turn is received in the bearing housing I32. Stillan'othercircular plate I40 is provided'and this'plate is equipped with aperipheral flange I that is disposed to overlie the periphery of. theflange I38, and preferably the periphery of the flange I is aligned withthe periphery of the is preferably shorter than the flanges I35 and I 38which it overlies so that the free ends of these flanges will engage theinner face of the plate I 40. In view of the foregoing construction, theflange I 4| terminates in spacedrelation with the plate I31, and agasket I42 is interposed between these parts for, as will be explainedpresently, the plate I40 and the flange I are adapted to rotate relativeto the plates I34 and I31 and the flanges I35 and I38.

The plate I 40 has a centrally located hub I43 thereon into which oneend of a shaft I44 is extended so that the hub I43 may be fast to theshaft I44. The shaft I44 extends through and is journaledin the sleeveI36 and has a gear I45 fast thereon at the free end of the by reason-ofthe connection of the hub I43 to the shaft I44, the parts of the fillinghead F thus far described are firmly clamped together.

It is essential that the filling head F and, more specifically, theflange I44 thereof, rotate synchronically with the rollers 86 and 81 and28 and 29, and to this end a bevel gear I46, Fig. 5, is fast to theshaft HI and this bevel gear meshes with a bevel gear I41 that itrotatable about a stud shaft I48 carried the arm I3I. The bevel gear I48is fast to the pinion I49 that meshes with the gear or pinion I45 faston the shaft I44. Thus when the shaft I06 is rotated synchronically withthe rollers 28 and 29, .as above described, it is apparent that, throughthe just described gear train, the plate I40 and the flange I M thereonmay be rotated in timed relation with the advance of the ribbon Rthrough the machine.

In view of the fact that the flange I4I will thus advance in synchronismwith the ribbon R, filling spouts I50 are led from the periphery of thisflange at regularly spaced intervals, the intervals being such that, aseach part I02 moves through the pocket P, a filling spout I50 will bealigned therewith and will move therewith, and the cento be incorporatedin the articles synchronic advance of each part I02 and a filling spoutI50. -To this end a tank 'I', Fig. 1A, is provided which has associatedtherewith a suitable constant liquid level maintaining device D to whicha liquid supply pipe II is directed, a pipe I52 leading from the deviceD to the tank '1 to insure that a constant level of liquid is maintainedwithin the tank T, whereby a constant hydrostatic head is establishedand maintained in the' tank T.

A pipe I53 leads from the bottom of the tank T 7, in the shaft I 44, asuitable,

by the bearing housing I33 or I this filling spout will be liquidchamber I58 faces of the plates the flange I35.

chamber I58 and I58 through openings I59 and I60 respectively providedin the flanges I35 and I 38.

- It will be recalled that the sleeve I36 of the plate I34 is journaledin the sleeve I 39 of the plate I31 and that the sleeve I39 in turn isjournaled in the bearing housing I32. openings I59 and I60 aremaintained in alignment with each other, and these openings are solocated circumferentially about the shaft I44 that at the time a fillingspout I50 is about to move into alignment with a part I02 in the pocketR, in communication with v the aligned portions of the openings I59 andI60 sleeve I36 whereby,

' the sleeve I39 to substance from dripping whereby liquid from thechamber I58 may fiow through these openings into the filling spout I50.It will be manifest that the inlet of'each filling spout will move intoalignment with'the opening I60 and the arrangement is preferably suchthat during the time the inlet of the filling spout is moving across theopening I60, such an amount of liquid will pass from the chamber I58 tothe filling spout that the desired quantity of liquid will be introducedinto each part I02. However, it will be apparent that, by reason of themounting of th plates I34 and I31, it is possibleto move the openingsI59 and I60 relative to each other and by reason of this theintercommunication between the openings justed that only the flowthrough both ticular filling spout,

tioning of the openings I53 and I 60 is attained.

the set screw I6I, Fig. 7, is tightly engaged with thereby retain theplate I31, flange I38 and opening I59 in their adjusted positlons, andthe set screw I62, Fig. 7, is seated in engagement with the sleeve I36to thereby retain the plate I34 and the flange I35 in their adjustedpositions.

A. vent cock V is arranged in communication with the chamber I58 andthis cock is opened to permit escape of air from the chamber I58 untilthe desired level of liquid has been introduced into the said chamberI58.

As can best be seen by reference to Figs.

spouts I50, in the present instance, are of substantially circularconfiguration throughout the major portion of the extent thereof, but atthe spouts are preferably flattened into substantially ovalconfiguration. I have found that so to do prevents objectionabledripping from the ends of the spouts as each is moving away from theparticular part I02 with which it is adapted to cooperate, and this isparticularly advantageous where a somewhat oily substance is beingintroduced into the parts I02 for this prevents this onto the outersurfaces of such parts. It will be understood, however, that any desiredconfiguration may be employed in the filling spouts for in someinstances it may be desirable to employ spouts ofa configuration otherthan that shown. Moreover, the number of spouts provided may be variedas desired so that a spout will always. be in, position to cooperatewith a part as one of the parts I02.

Preferably the quantity of liquid introduced into each part I 02 is lessthan that which would entirely fill the chamber part when theedgesdefined within each such at the open side thereof defined between theadjacent I34 and I40 and surrounded by Thus, when the valve I58 isopened, liquid from the tank T flows into the liquid flows from thechamber At least parts of the I59 and I60 may be so addischarge endsthese '11 joined to mouse the 7 best illustrated in Fig. 11,

- tends beyond center as 22 withinso that a bubble will be formed which,

in the the shell as 2I in each such part I62 from each other ribbon R,af-

not transparent so that when a bubble as aforesaid is produced it willbe visibeen found that so to do increases the salability of the presentarticle inasmuch as attention is more readily directed to the liquidcenter therein.

' The Just referred to closing of the open sides of the parts I62 iseffected by the closing rollers I66 and I66 which, as best shown. inFigs. 2 and 11, are in the form of circular discs whichhave flangesprojecting from the upper parts thereof and, as

these flanges are preferably so beveled that knife edges I66 and I66 areformed thereon, these knife edges cooperating one with the other in thecourse of-the operation of the closing rollers I66 and I66. Thoseportions ofsuch flanges immediately below the knife edges I65 and I66are knurled as indicated at I61 and I66 and it is thecooperation ofthese knurled surfaces 161' and J" and the knife edges I66 and I66 thatbrings about the closing of the open sides of each part I62 as it passestherebetween.

By referring to Fig. 10 it will be seen that the discharge finger 66 ofthe forming spout 62 terminates at one side of the pocket P at the bitefinger I69 of the guide spaced from the pocket P. Thus, as a part I62 ofthe ribbon R is passing through the pocket P. it is solely supported bythe cooperation of ribs or teeth 96 and 66 but, prior to the time suchteeth move into cooperating relation in advance of the position of thepocket P, the ribbon R is supported by the finger 65, and as soonas theteeth 66 and 69 start to move out of cooperating relation the ribbon Ris picked up by the finger I69 and fed into the trough I16.

' The trough I16, as can best be ascertained by reference to Figs. 2,3,9 and 11, leads to and exthe bite between the rollers I66 and I66 and,as best shown in Fig. l, discharges the articles onto the conveyormechanism C to be described presently. The trough I16 is carried byadjustable brackets H60 and H61) to enable proper adjustment thereofrelative to the parts with which it cooperates.

It is essential that he closing rollers I66 and I66 operate insynchronism with the othermechanisms herein described as operatingsynchronically, and to this end a conical pulley I1 I, similar to thepulley III, is fast on the shaft I66, and a belt I12 ispassed thereaboutand about a variable speed pulley I'I6 fast on the shaft 116 that isjournaled in a bearing III at the end of a sleeve I16 projecting fromthe housing H and in a bearing in'the housing H corresponding to thebearing I66, the pulley I16 being similar to. the pulley I69. Therollers I66 and I66 are fast to shafts spaced, journaled and driven inthe same manner as that in which the shafts I2I and I22, 7

Fig. 5, are spaced, journaled and driven, which is to say, worm gears onthe shaft I16, corresponding to the worm gears I26 and I26 on the shaftI66, drive worm wheels co nding to the worm wheels I26 and I26 on asstated, when being disposed thoroughly chilled trough I62, it is.mounted on the shaft I16 to wlilchthe rollers tively connected.

When the knife edges with each other to b about closure of the opensides of the parts I62 in the ribbon B, it is possible that. a fin maybe formed and in order to eliminate such fin, preferably at the time offormation thereof, acircular trimming knife I19, Figs-3 and 14, isprovided which has a shearing edge I66 thereon that overlies the upperface of the closing roller I above and secured to the closing rollerI63. Thus, as the knife edges I66and I66 close the open sides of theparts I62, any excess material is trimmed of! by the edge I66 and thenpassed to a trough I6I which directs such a trimming from the machine.

It will be understood that the material that is formed into the ribbon Ris heated prior to the time it is introduced into by reason of suchheating, the material is in a somewhat plastic condition as it passesthrough the bites between the rollers 26 and 26, 66 and 61, and I66 andI66. However, as soon as the ribbon R is discharged from the rollers I66and I66, and

I66 and I66 coop r t passes along the trough I'III to the conveyor forwhen this is done such material becomes relatively brittle andseparation of the parts I62 of the ribbon R at the points of union U isthereby facilitated. Thus a blower B is provided in the conveyormechanism C and this blower is driven from motor I66. The intake of thisblower may either be connected to a source of cool fresh air or, in.some circumstances, to a source of air, and the outlet of this bloweris so extended that air discharged from the blower flows over the upperside of the pass of the belt I66 of the conveyor whereby the articleslying on this pass in the trough I62 are effectively chilled. The beltor endless conveyor I66 travels from right to left, as viewed'in Fig. 1,and as the ribbon R containing completely closed parts I62 moves fromthetrough 6 onto this pass of this conveyor between the sides of the 7carried along from right to left, the conveyor I66 being driven by abelt I65 passing about pulleys I66 and I61 respectively I16 and theshaft I66 at the adjacent end of the mechanism C.

The trough I62 extends but a short distance along the upper pass oftheeonveyor I66 and by the time theribbon passes from the trough I62 itis relatively brittle and as the ribbon moves along the upper pass ofthe conveyor I66, due to such brittleness and the agitation impartedthereto from the conveyor, the ribbon separates at the points of, unionU into articles such as the cough drop 26. When the articles as are thusseparated and as of the conveyor, they rub on the-conveyor and. eachother and are thereby so tumbled or otherwise agitated -that sharpprojecting portions thereon are broken off so that, when the articlespass from the discharge end of the conveyor I66 to be collected forpackagin nd distribution, they are ready for use and are free of sharpcorners and the like which might be objectionable when the articles areintroduced into the mouth.

It will be manifest from the foregoing description that I have providedarticle such "as a cough drop which will embody a shell anda liquid theshafts lll and or viscous center and it is'bclie'ved that it will "landl66are resp 66, the knife I16 the machine A and that,

and it is preferable that they travel along the upper pass descriptionthat the articles embody a shell and a center which are made ofdifi'ering compositions so as to be naturally insoluble wherebyobjectionable deterioration of the articles is prevented when thearticles are handled and stored in the customary manner.

By reason of the fact that the material from which the shell of thearticles is to be produced may be fed through the machine in the form ofa continuous ribbon, it is possible to rapidly produce the'articles andit is possible to so pass a continuous ribbonthrough the above describedmachine by reason of the fact that the various mechanisms that operateupon the ribbon may be timed to operate synchronically whereby unduestretching or cramping or crowding of such a ribbon is effectivelyprevented.

Moreover, it will be apparent from the foregoing description that I havedevised a novel and eificient manner for. introducing the center intothe articles without interrupting the continuous advance of theaforesaid ribbon through the machine and I have so arranged thisapparatus that apredetermined quantity of liquid or the like maybeintroduced into each such article. Furthermore, the apparatus is soarranged that the quantity of material introduced into each article maybe expeditiously varied, if desired, and where a translucent ortransparent article is to be produced the quantity introduced into thecenter of each article may be such that a bubble may be produced whichtends to increase the attractiveness and the like of the articles.

Furthermore, I have described how a vegetable oil may be introduced intoarticles such as cough drops to serve as a carrier for medicaments orfor other advantageous reasons hereinabove outlined, and I haveexplained how such an oil may be utilized and produced so that it willbe substantially devoid of properties which will tend to produce an oilysensation when the oil is discharged into the mouth.

By the term aqueous hard candy shell as employed hereinafter in theclaims is meant a. shell which is composed of a candy which has beenmade from a sugar and water, with or without other ingredients which maybe employed therewith in making a hard candy shell of the characterdescribed herein.

Many other and further advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the foregoing description and while I have illustrated anddescribed the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to beunderstood that these are capable of variation and modification and I-therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth butdesire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall withinthe scope of the following claims.

I claim: p 1. A cough drop or like edible article comprising an edibleand medicated hard candy shell and a medicated liquid center enclosed byand contained within said shell, said liquid center containing sesameoil as a medicament-carrying base together with at least one substanceselected from the group consisting of cocoanut oil sterine,

cocoanut oil olein and cocoanut oil, per se.'and being substantiallyfree and devoid of any "oily" sensation when it is discharged onto the tssues of the mouth and throat, and said hard candy shell beingpermanently impervious and resistant to any solvent action of, and beinginsoluble in, said liquid center.

2. A cough drop or like edible article comprising an edible andmedicated hard candy shell and a medicated liquid center enclosed by andcontained within said shell, said liquid center containing a vegetableoil as a medicament-carry- I ing base together with at least onesubstance sele'cted from the group consisting of cocoanut oil stearine,cocoanut oil olein, and cocoanut oil, per V se, and being substantiallyfree and devoid of any oily taste, feeling or sensation when it isdischarged onto the tissues of the mouth and throat,

and said hard candy shell being permanently impervious and resistant toany solvent action of, and being insoluble in, said liquid center.

3. An article comprising an edible hard candy shell and a medicatedliquid center enclosed by and contained within said shell, sai liquidcenter containing sesame oil as a medicament-carrying base together withat least one substance selected from the group consisting of cocoanutoil stearinc, cocoanut oil olein, and cocoanut oil, per se, and'saidedible hard candy shell beingpermanentlyimpervious and resistant to anysolvent action of, and being insoluble in, said liquid center.

4. An article comprising a translucent or partially transparent edibleaqueous hard candy shell affording an enclosed pocket of predeterminedvolume, and a medicated liquid center enclosed within said pocket, thevolume of the liquid center being less than the volume of the pocketwhereby an air bubble isafforded in the pocket, said center comprisingan oil base, and said aqueous hard candy shell and said oil base centerbeing permanently free from any tendency to go into solution one withthe other. I

5. An article comprising a translucent or partially transparent edibleaqueous hard candy shell 'afiording an enclosed pocket of predeterminedof an oily sensation when it is discharged upon.

the tissues of the mouth and throat. said aqueous hard candy shell andsaid vegetable oil base liquid centerbeing permanently free from anytendency to go into solution one withthe other.

6. An article comprising a translucent or partially transparentmedicated edibleaqueous hard candy shell atfording an enclosed pocket ofpredetermined volume, and a medicated liquid center enclosed within saidpocket, the volume of the liquid center being less than the volume ofthe pocket whereby an air bubble is afforded in the pocket, said centercomprising a sesame oil base together with at least one substanceselected from the group consisting of cocoanut oil stearine. cocoanutoil olein and cocoanut oil per se and being substantially free anddevoid of an "oily sensation when it is discharged onto the tissues ofthe mouth and throat, said aqueous hard candy tion one with the atticALFRED J. LAU'I'MANN.

